Did you know that you may have a pair of pants in your closet right now that is the answer to all your pants fitting problems? That’s right! If you already own a pair of great fitting pants, or one that is close-to-perfect in fit, then you have the secret that will eliminate the worst part of pants fitting—The Crotch Curve!
With just a little bit of reverse engineering, you can match a great fitting pant with a flexible ruler to copy the size, shape and proportions of the crotch curve that already fits you so well. Yes, this magical tool will finally allow you to capture anything, even the elusive well-fitting crotch curve.
The process of copying that perfect crotch curve from your pants, and thereby transferring it to all your other pants fitting alterations, is actually very simple. Just form the flexible ruler around the crotch curve of your favorite pants and place the flexible ruler’s outline onto a paper or poster board to create your own “Crotch Curve Template.”
Whether you hand draft your pants patterns or use commercial patterns, this “Crotch Curve Template” method will enable you to make precision crotch curve alterations unbelievably fast and easy. It’s simply a marriage made in pants fitting heaven!
Here’s what you need to get started:
- Flex ruler (32" or 40" long)
- Removable tape
- Sheet of paper or poster board 11" x 14"
- Scissors
- Sheet of tissue paper
- Small rubber bands (3)
- Tape measure
- Washable fine point pen (I use Crayola brand.)
- Ruler
- Pins
- Your favorite ready-to-wear pants
- Commercial pattern that is similar to your ready-to-wear pants
- Your Side-Waist To Hip measurement
1. Measure The Ready-To-Wear Crotch Curve
Start with a pair of pants that fit well in the crotch. If you have a pair of pants that could use some alteration, you can pin or tape out any excess before copying the crotch curve. (Example: If you have a tipped waistline, you can fold out the excess until it fits you properly before copying.)
Turn your pants inside out and then place one leg inside the other so that the entire inside crotch seam is exposed and that the front of the pants is to your right.
Align the seams of the inner leg and outer leg at the crotch point.
Pin and anchor the crotch curve in place at the front and back waistlines and crotch point.
Wrap three small rubber bands onto the flexible ruler.
Align the ruler with the inches segments against the stitching line of the crotch curve.
Adjust the three small rubber bands on the flexible ruler to mark the front waistline point, crotch point and back waistline point.
2. Make A Crotch Curve Template
Gently lift and place the flexible ruler’s outline onto your sheet of paper or poster board.
On the inside of the flexible ruler draw the curve with a fine point washable pen.
Make a mark at each rubber band to indicate the Back Waist, Crotch Point, and Front Waist.
Draw a line connecting the mark for the Back Waist and Front Waist.
Measure down from the waist line an amount equal to your Side-Waist to Hip measurement and draw a line to mark the Hip.
Cut out the template directly on the traced crotch line.
Mark the template at Waistline, Hipline, Front, Back, and Crotch Point.
3. Prepare the Pattern
To establish the grounding point or center axis when aligning the commercial pattern to the template, you will need to work from the pants hemline up: (Think of an imaginary centering line starting at the inside of the ankle running up through the crotch point.)
Press the tissue and trim along the cutting line of the crotch curve. Do not trim the rest of the edges.
Work on the wrong side of the pattern tissue.
Mark the hipline on the Front and Back pattern pieces.
Fold up the pant hemline on both Front and Back pattern pieces.
Draw stitching lines of each inner leg as well as the crotch curve.
TIP: Finding stitching lines is easy since most tape measures are 5/8" in width. Just lay a measuring tape against the cutting line draw against it.
Fold the leg seam allowances to the top of each pattern piece.
TIP: Finding stitching lines is easy since most tape measures are 5/8" in width. Just lay a measuring tape against the cutting line draw against it.
Match the leg inseams at the stitching line beginning at the hem and tape or pin together.
NOTE: Once inseams are met, the angle of the hem will tilt down on each side; consequently the hipline angles will follow the same angle once placed next to the template.
Continue to crease out the inseams all the way up the inner leg until you reach the crotch points, but don’t tape yet.
Tape your template to the table at the waistline edge of the template. Make sure you have your template at the edge of the table so you have room for the full pants length. You are now ready to insert your pattern underneath the template.
4.Adjusting The Crotch Curve
Slide your pattern beneath the template.
Align the hipline markings of the Front and Back pattern pieces with the hipline marking of the template.
Adjust the crotch points on the tissue to match the crotch point at the template, folding the seam allowance as necessary.
Compare the waistline of the pattern with the waistline of the template.
Use the lengthen/shorten lines to adjustment the pattern so the waistline of the tissue and template match.
Once positioned, tape the template in place over your pattern and draw around the template directly on top of your pattern pieces. If needed, tape tissue to any areas that need filling.
Add seam allowances and corresponding notches to the newly drawn crotch and inner leg stitching lines.
Adjust for any other discrepancies this alteration has caused to your pattern at the side seams.
Conclusion:
When copying pattern lines, remember to use the same pattern style and fabric type that the original pants design was made from. In other words, copying the crotch curve of a pair of jeans should not be matched with the crotch curve of a trouser style from a commercial or drafted pattern.
Your new master “Crotch Curve Template” will serve you well with many uses for all of your crotch alterations. Just imagine! You will not have to reinvent the wheel (crotch curve) anymore because you will now have the pattern that someone has masterfully created just for you.
To sign up and see this calss in depth go to www.flexiblerulerclasses.com.
- Jean Haas